Two years ago I was at the Exponential Church Planting gathering and was happily surprised by listening to Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. Keller has gained a lot of acclaim because of his thoughtful connection with people, expressed most recently in his books The Reason for God.
Before even getting into the content of Keller’s message, I must say that I am always impressed by the humble and heartfelt sincerity with which he brings his message. He strikes me as a ‘no-frills’ sort of guy who is authentically all about God
Borrowing from his most recent book, The Prodigal God, Keller unpacked the parable of the prodigal son. He pointed out that the main point of the parable is that both the younger and older brothers are alienated from the Father – they are both lost and in need of being invited in to the party.
The younger son just wants the father’s money initially, but eventually tries to get in to the out of a life that is very bad and reckless. The older son is no less in need, however, as he is just in love with the father’s things and that is expressed by his strenuous life of religious morality. He does it all right.
Unfortunately, Keller points out, the younger son does enter the party (salvation), while at the end of the parable we are left with the elder son staying outside the party.
How this applies to leadership is that there are many, many elder brothers within our congregations that are holding back spiritual renewal. They are cultivating a spiritual deadness within our congregation. This is why we can encounter such intimidating levels of back-biting and jealous anger within our churches.
The cure, as Keller outlined it, is for us as leaders and our people to enter into new levels of repentance and new levels of rejoicing.
We need to repent not only for our wrong-doing but, more deeply, for our wrong motivations for our right-doing. We need to throw ourselves on the mercy of God realizing that even our religious morality (aka, the elder brother) keeps us from the Father.
We need to enter new levels of rejoicing by daily adoring God and realizing the great cost poured out in the life of the ‘only son’ Jesus who gave Himself for us that we can be brought into the party.
It must start with us as leaders, and the way we communicate. We should work it into the lives of a few leaders, and then let that overflow into the lives of our entire church. And, through it all, we must pray. All great renewal started with prayer.
Discover more from Matthew Erickson
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Matthew Erickson 
Hey, great post. Like your thoughts on Tim Keller’s speech.
Thanks, Ashley. What was a highlight or two for you from the Summit?
I have appreciated Tim Keller. Don’t always agree with where he ends up. But I never question why he does things, he does them to expand the kingdom. I have seen him speak a couple of times and read one book and a bunch of articles. I think we need more like him that are really invested in cities and then use that leadership to expand the kingdom. I have never thought Keller was trying to build his own little kingdom.
I agree, Adam. The commitment he has to spiritual renewal in the cultural centers (cities) is inspiring and amazing.
I think of Tim Keller as bringing an intellectual and more reformed perspective to the work of people like Ray Bakke and John Perkins in his own unique way.
Where do you differ with Keller – or, as you said, “where he ends up”?